Title: Workers' housing estates in transformation - aspects of social sustainability

Authors: Katharina Kirsch-Soriano da Silva

Addresses: Caritas Stadtteilarbeit, Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien, Absberggasse 27/Kulturhaus, Brotfabrik/Stiege 3/2. Stock, 1100 Wien, Austria

Abstract: The sustainable modernisation of existing housing estates is currently a key focus of urban development in the face of advancing climate change. Within the 'smart cities' programme of the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund there has been an emphasis on former workers' housing estates. These are the centre of attention in recent research and development projects in order to elaborate sustainable processes and solutions. When developing transformation strategies, it is not only the ecological and structural aspects of the housing estates that are of key importance, but also the social aspects that are linked to the living environments, perceptions and practices of residents and neighbourhoods. This article examines two current projects in former workers' housing estates and focuses on the dimension of social sustainability in the transformation processes - reviewing relevant literature, exploring local contexts, methodological approaches and obtained results of participatory processes and summarising lessons learned so far.

Keywords: social-ecological transformation; smart cities; workers' settlements; social housing; limited-profit housing; social sustainability; social inclusion; social innovation; participation.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2025.151246

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2025 Vol.18 No.2/3, pp.154 - 172

Received: 20 Oct 2024
Accepted: 18 Mar 2025
Published online: 19 Jan 2026 *

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